


Lead Me Into His Dark Land

by Faustess



Series: Until the Last Star Darkens [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Corpse Bride (2005), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Arranged Marriage, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Falling In Love, Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), M/M, Marriage, Misunderstandings, Moonlight, Multi, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Not Cheating, Pepper Potts Needs a Hug, Polyamory, Pre-Poly, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Supernatural Elements, Talking To Dead People, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Weddings, but not spooky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25010224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faustess/pseuds/Faustess
Summary: Lord James "Bucky" Barnes, master of the Winterbrook estate, has spent his fortune on veteran's homes and on care for his childhood best friend, Steve Rogers.  With the assistance of a friend made during his days at war, Natasha Romanov, he's been able to arrange a good marriage with the daughter of a prominent local industrialist - and the largest manufacturer of corset stays and garter clasps in the country.Pepper Potts's step-mother wants nothing more than to rub elbows with the local aristocrats and her father wants Pepper to marry well - for her own sake, rather than that of his wife.  He's confident everyone will end up happy as long as everything goes According To Plan.But when it doesn't?  It's anyone's guess what'll happen.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Pepper Potts, James "Bucky" Barnes/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov
Series: Until the Last Star Darkens [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796185
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18
Collections: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, Ladies of Marvel Bingo 2019, StarkBucksBingo2020, Tony Stark Bingo 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Lead Me Into His Dark Land, Chapter 1  
> Collaborator: Faustess-3059  
> Square Filled: TSB – T1: Mirror Image  
> BBB – Y5: Family of Choice  
> Ship: ChillyPepperony (pre-Tony/Bucky/Pepper)  
> Rating: Teen  
> Major Tags/Warnings: Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Cheating, Pre-Poly, Supernatural Elements  
> Summary: Lord James "Bucky" Barnes, master of the Winterbrook estate, has spent his fortune on veteran's homes and on care for his childhood best friend, Steve Rogers. With the assistance of a friend made during his days at war, Natasha Romanov, he's been able to arrange a good marriage with the daughter of a prominent local industrialist.
> 
> Pepper Potts's step-mother wants nothing more than to rub elbows with the local aristocrats and her father wants Pepper to marry well - for her own sake, rather than that of his wife. He's confident everyone will end up happy as long as everything goes According To Plan. 
> 
> But when it doesn't? It's anyone's guess what'll happen.  
> Word Count: 2786

Pepper Potts surveyed the dreary grey of her world from her window. Buildings, cobblestone streets, and sky were a study in monochromatic contrasts. She inhaled as deeply as her corset allowed and turned back to her dressing table to finish primping for her wedding rehearsal.

She’d never even met Lord Barnes – how was she supposed to know whether or not they’d suit? Well, that wasn’t why her family had negotiated this match, though was it? Her family was buying its way into the aristocracy – and she was just their pawn.

She pinched her cheeks to give herself some color and tried to be optimistic – scores of such matches ended happily. Why should hers be any different? Tonight though, they’d be staying at Winterbrook, the Barnes estate. Pepper fought back another wave of nerves and tried to remind herself that she was Virginia Potts, daughter of the leading manufacturer of corset stays and garter clasps in the country.

Downstairs, she could hear her stepmother chattering excitedly about the wedding and her father replying noncommittally. ‘Pepper’ was his nickname for her because of the time she’d accidentally emptied an entire jar of peppercorns into the stew and he’d found the zesty result hilarious.

Pepper crept out of her room and overheard her father say, “My dear, our daughter will be married tomorrow and you’ll have what you want. Kindly refrain from gloating.”

Cora, her stepmother, kissed Mr. Potts on the cheek, “I wonder if royal crumpets taste different than ours?”

Smiling coldly at his wife, Finis Potts replied, “Everything will be as required, my dear, and you can rub elbows with all the society ladies you like.” He sounded like he would be glad to be rid of her.

A new wave of anxiety sent the butterflies in her stomach aflutter again. _What if her new husband refused to allow her father to visit?_ She’d heard so many rumors about Lord Barnes that it wasn’t possible for all of them to be true.

The door clicking shut behind Pepper echoed through the foyer and both her father and Cora looked up. Sighing, Pepper came downstairs. Cora squeezed her hands, “You’ve certainly hooked a winner this time, Virginia.”

Mr. Potts smiled softly at his daughter, “All you have to do is be yourself, sweetie.”

Pepper cleared her throat, “Shouldn’t Lord Barnes be marrying a lady or something?”

“Nonsense!” Mr. Potts said with a frown, “We’re every bit as good as that Barnes fellow. Don’t you worry about that.”

Stammering as they stepped into the carriage to take them to Winterbrook, the Barnes family seat, “B- But I’ve never even spoken to Lord Barnes.”

Cora rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. “Well, at least we have that in our favor.”

Pepper looked out the carriage window as her stomach flip-flopped dangerously. Fortunately, not more than five minutes later, the carriage slowed, then rocked to a halt at the door to Winterbrook.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At the other end of the fashionable neighborhood, Bucky Barnes was being poked and prodded to remember things like stylish cravat pins and matching cufflinks. As Natasha fussed around him, tsking and scolding, he wondered what kind of woman Virginia Elizabeth Potts might be – and whether they’d fall in love.

He knew how his friends felt – that his title and marriage to this daughter of the nouveau-riche was all that stood between them and the poorhouse. At dinner last night, Natasha had said as much.

“It’s no one’s fault, Steve,” she’d said firmly.

Steve shook his head bitterly, his cheeks still had the pale flush of fading feverishness. “You know as well as I do if it wasn’t for me, Buck wouldn’t have to settle. They’re so vulgar, Tasha. _Corset stays_.”

Natasha laughed, “And garter belt clips, as well, I hear.”

Bucky still wasn’t sure how Natasha, a friend from his war days, and Steve, his childhood best friend got along so well. He suspected that the two would marry if either were able to support the other financially. Steve’s ailments required expensive treatments and he only had a small pension from his mother’s estate – not enough for his medicine, let alone doctors and a wife.

“Everything _will_ go to plan,” Bucky said, firmly. “I’ve heard good things about Potts and if his daughter’s anything like him, I’ll be fine. It’ll just take some time for me,” he almost said ‘us’, “to get to know her.”

Steve sighed, and expressed Bucky’s unspoken fear, “But Buck, what if… what if you and Virginia don’t… like each other?”

Natasha pressed her lips into a firm line, determined, “As if love has anything to do with marriage. Do you suppose everyone who weds loves each other?”

Bucky considered this, he knew the answer Nat was fishing for, but still he _hoped_. “Surely there must be some…”

Rolling her eyes, Natasha put on a pained expression, “Hopeless romantics, the both of you. What am I even doing here?”

From below, they heard the bell ring at the door. Natasha helped Steve up, arm around his waist to support him as they made their way to the foyer, so someone would be there to greet the Potts family. Bucky closed the door to hurry his preparations along – he still needed to get his hair under control.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pepper swallowed her panic when Lord Barnes’s butler opened the door and they stepped inside. Cora glanced around the hall dismissively and spoke in a low voice to Mr. Potts, “Not as big as our place. Kind of shabby.”

Mr. Potts glared at his wife, “Shh!”

The butler took their coats and announced them to their hosts, “Ms. Romanov and Mr. Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Potts.”

Pepper’s father stepped forward, leaning on his walking stick, “Charmed, I’m sure, Miss.”

 _This must be what watching a train wreck is like_ , Pepper thought to herself. She cringed when she overheard Ms. Romanov whispering to Mr. Rogers, “Smile, darling. _Smile_.”

The effect of that was a rather sulky kind of grimace that didn’t reach his eyes. Pepper rather wished the fine-boned man hadn’t made the effort. Rogers greeted them politely, though, “Well, hello. What a pleasure – welcome to Winterbrook.”

Cora smiled and inclined her head. “Why, thank you.”

Ms. Romanov gestured toward a dark hallway. “We’ll be taking tea in the west drawing room. Do come this way, it’s just through there.” Pepper noticed that she tried to help Mr. Rogers into a wheeled chair, but he swatted her hands away and walked on his own toward the drawing room.

As her parents started a stream of small talk with Lord Barnes’s companions, Pepper lingered behind. A small vase of starflowers caught her eye on the piano. While it was a bit tasteless to have such a large piano in the entrance hall – with the implication it was just there for decoration – it was still a beautiful instrument. The rest of the hall was barren of other ornaments or decorative furnishings, so maybe they just hadn’t been able to remove it easily when other items had been sold off.

Pepper sighed softly to herself. It was crass that she’d noticed, though it was hard not to. She let her fingers drift over the keys, watched the drawing room door close and decided to sit down to play. It wasn’t proper to play uninvited, but an instrument as magnificent as this practically begged to be played. As music filled the room, the manor felt less lifeless and Pepper let the music sweep her dismal thoughts away.

In fact, she was so absorbed in the song that she didn’t hear Lord Barnes approach and only caught sight of him in her peripheral vision. Startled, Pepper shot up off the piano bench and stumbled backward, knocking it over.

“Oh! I'm so sorry!” She only just managed to catch the small vase before it fell and looked up at Lord Barnes. “Do forgive me?”

Lord Barnes smiled tentatively, as if he used to smile often, but had since forgotten how. “You play beautifully.”

“I- I- I do apologize, my Lord. How rude of me… I didn’t mean to…” Pepper twisted her fingers nervously and then remembered to stand the piano bench upright again, “Well, excuse me.”

Lord Barnes held his hands clasped behind his back, more than an arm’s length away from her. He looked down and spoke softly, “Natasha – Ms. Romanov – won’t let me near the piano. ‘Music is too much for someone recovering from an illness.’ ‘Too loud,’ she says.”

Pepper cleared her throat, “If I may ask, my Lord… shouldn’t we have a …chaperone?”

Raising an eyebrow, Lord Barnes said slowly, “Perhaps… in view of the circumstances, you could call me James.”

Pepper smoothed her shirtwaist. “Yes, of course. Well… James…”

“Yes… Virginia?” James looked up at Pepper with soft blue-grey eyes that belied his stern appearance.

Pepper couldn’t help but notice his lordship’s full lips and the cleft in his chin. “Tomorrow, James –” She twiddled her fingers nervously, “I’m sorry,” Pepper squeaked, and took a breath to try again, “Tomorrow, we are to be mmm…”

James chuckled, “…married.”

“Yes, married,” Pepper agreed and smiled hesitantly.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bucky smiled softly and looked away. He couldn’t help but like this young woman who was a bit unconventional, and nervous, rather than timid. It was as if even though the match was agreed upon by all parties, Virginia still wanted to make a good impression, wanted _him_ to like _her_.

“Since I was a child, I’ve dreamt of my wedding day. I always hoped to find someone I was deeply in love with.” He sat down at the piano and touched the keys lightly, “Someone to spend the rest of my life with.” Bucky folded his hands looked up at Virginia, “Silly, for a soldier, isn’t it?”

Pepper nodded along and laughed softly, “Yes, silly.” Then, realizing what she had said, Virginia gasped, “No! No – not at all, no!” In her distress, she knocked over the small vase of starflowers. Stammering, she said, “Oh – oh dear, I’m sorry. Please – call me Pepper.”

Bucky smiled up at her, sniffed the flowers, and held the delicate stem up for Pepper.

Just at that moment, Natasha glided out of the drawing room, “What is going on here?! You two shouldn’t be _alone_ together! The rehearsal is about to begin, Reverend Fury is waiting. Come along now.” Natasha stood in the doorway, waiting for the two young people to enter, unwilling to take her eyes off the pair.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Three hours later, Reverend Fury sighed and adjusted his eyepatch. He’d begun to develop a facial tic somewhere during the last half an hour or so. Pepper swallowed as the Reverend audibly exhaled through his nose, his impatience was becoming increasingly clear, “Miss Potts, from the beginning. _Again_. ‘With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.’” Reverend Fury glared at Pepper, “Let’s try it again.”

Pepper's mouth felt dry as she cleared her throat, “Yes, yes, Sir.” She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and tried to sound confident. Four sentences – easy! “With this candle…”

She touched the wick of the white taper to the pillar candle’s flame. Nothing. Her self-confidence slipped, “…This candle…” She leaned forward, trying again to light the candle in her hand. Again, nothing.

“Hmm...” Pepper examined both ends of the candle to make sure that in fact she was attempting to light the correct end of the candle. Yes… blackened string end into the flame… that wasn’t the problem. “This candle…” She tried again, then peeked over her shoulder at her stepmother and father… and at Ms. Romanov and Mr. Rogers… none of whom seemed amused.

Reverend Fury cleared his throat and Pepper jerked back to see that the candle had lit after all. Sighing with relief, Pepper said, “With this candle…” and her breath extinguished the candle. She groaned in dismay, then realized that was yet another gaffe.

James smiled patiently, waiting for them to get to his portion of the ceremony.

Reverend Fury snapped, “Continue!”

The doorbell rang, and Pepper was grateful for the momentary interruption of the wedding rehearsal. The butler glided out to answer the door, returning moments later with a large calling card. “A Lady Bain, my lord.”

Lady Bain sashayed toward the family group unhurriedly, “I haven’t a head for dates… apparently, I’m a day early.” The woman studied a ring on the back of her hand for a moment with a haughty air.

Ms. Romanov waved her hand and the butler brought a chair for the newcomer, while Pepper and James both looked over their shoulders at the interruption.

“Do carry on,” Lady Bain said with a nonchalant flick of her fan.

Reverend Fury sighed with irritation through his nose, “Let’s try it again, shall we?”

While Pepper swallowed, “Yes, yes. Of course, certainly,” James lit her candle surreptitiously with his own candle to help her.

“Right,” Reverend Fury glared, as if trying to burn the words into Pepper’s mind by the sheer force of his will.

“What? Oh!” Pepper startled at finding her candle lit, shifted the now burning candle into her left hand, narrowly avoided dropping it, then raised her right hand. “Right. With this…?”

“HAND, Miss Potts! With. This. HAND!” The Reverend was no longer bothering to try to conceal his exasperation.

Pepper offered her hand to James, her stomach swooped giddily at his touch and she worried she might faint. “With this hand, I –“ Pepper stubbed her toe on the table leg, nearly knocking over the goblet of wine and the burning pillar candle.

Reverend Fury was even more annoyed this time, “THREE steps, Miss Potts! THREE! Can you not count?! Do you not wish to be married?”

James’s eyes widened and his expression grew more grave, though Pepper couldn’t be sure whether he was shocked by her unending chain of mistakes or as annoyed by them as the Reverend, but just more skilled at masking his irritation.

Pepper felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, “No! No!” She felt panic starting to blossom in her chest and struggled to keep it at bay.

“You do not?” James’s – the surprise and flash of hurt that washed over his face startled her.

“No! I meant no I do not… _not_ want to be married. That is, I very much wish to be –” At that point, Reverend Fury smacked the table they were using to represent the altar with his crook.

“This girl doesn’t want to get married!” Fury snarled in disgust.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

James stood next to the altar, feeling Natasha and Steve’s eyes boring into the back of his head. _Maybe none of this was meant to be…._ But Virginia – Pepper – seemed so sincere. She hadn’t tried to entrap him when they were alone. She was nervous, but so was he; James couldn’t fault her for that – especially since so much depended on marrying well.

James was jerked out of his daydream by the snap of Reverend Fury’s psalter closing. “ENOUGH!” Reverend Fury shouted. “This wedding cannot take place until she is properly prepared!” Fury turned to glare at Virginia, whose countenance had gone pale, as the Reverend shook his finger at his betrothed, “Young woman! Learn. Your. Vows.”

Lady Bain flicked open her fan to hide a smile and glanced at him, clearly amused. _How heartless can you be?_ James thought to himself and wondered who’d invited this woman. Disinterestedly, Lady Bain shut her fan with a snick, smirked, and smoothed her skirts.

Shaking with equal portions embarrassment and fear, Pepper backed into the drawing room door and fled the room as quickly as possible.

James longed to push back the strawberry blonde tendrils of hair that had slipped out of her elaborate coif and hold her hand to reassure her that he found her charming. But Lord or not, he didn’t have the power to contradict a man of God and saying anything too familiar – especially with a stranger in the room – would compromise both of their reputations.

“Well, she’s quite the catch, isn’t she?” Lady Bain said, her tone roiling with sarcasm as she studied one of her gaudy sparkling rings with interest.

James “Bucky” Barnes did not slip a blade between the woman’s ribs, but that was only because Natasha would have killed him for it. Indeed, he felt entirely too vexed by everyone else in the room to do anything other than hold himself in check. He couldn’t do what he longed to do most – run after Pepper – so he did nothing and felt guilt start gnawing at his insides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! :D Let me know what you think! I wrote this for fun with the encouragement of @feignedsobriquet. It's been lightly beta-ed, but any mistakes are my own. If you find any, please let me know so I can fix them ASAP. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Lead Me Into His Dark Land, Chapter 2  
> Collaborator: Faustess-3059  
> Square Filled: TSB – S5: Innocent Until Proven Guilty  
> BBB – K2: Tony Stark  
> SBB – O3: Secret Relationship  
> Ship: ChillyPepperony (pre-Tony/Bucky/Pepper)  
> Rating: Teen  
> Major Tags/Warnings: Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Cheating, Pre-Poly, Supernatural Elements
> 
> Summary: Pepper manages to say her vows perfectly... to the wrong man. We meet Tony, Rhodey tells a story (which Tony interrupts - frequently), and there's a tearful reunion. Just another day in the life of Pepper Potts.
> 
> And yes, her stays are too tight for that kind of running.
> 
> Word Count: 3210

Pepper ran without thinking through the town until she stopped at the bridge to catch her breath. Fog hung over the river, concealing all but the hint of the dirty barges chugging along to their destinations. She leaned on the edge of the bridge miserably, turning the stem of starflowers over in her hand.

Tears prickled her eyes as she gazed at the water. “James… you must think me such a fool.” Pepper closed her eyes and kissed the flower softly, then tucked the flowers back into her sash. “This day couldn’t get any worse.”

She straightened her shoulders, chiding herself, “Remembering shouldn’t really be that difficult.” Pepper walked on, over the bridge and into the woods on the other side past the cemetery. “It’s just a few simple vows.”

Taking a deep breath, she said, “With this hand, I will take your wine. No, that’s not right.”

Snow still clung to the roots of trees in the shady places as Pepper walked further into the woods. “With these hands I will light your candles.” She groaned, “No, that’s not right either.”

She tipped her chin up, trying to breathe and keep her tears at bay. Pepper’s hope chest was filled with things she’d saved since girlhood for this day. _Why can’t I do this?_

“With this… with this candle! I will… I will…” Pepper’s voice trailed off and then muttered, “make a fool of myself.”

She sank onto a fallen log and sat dejectedly. “It’s no use.” Pepper covered her face and wept until she had no more tears to shed. She plucked her handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. Then she took the starflowers from her sash along with the wedding ring still clutched in her other hand and stared at them in her palm.

She breathed deeply, inhaling the flowers’ fragrance, then stood again, determined. “With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine.”

Gaining confidence and momentum, she curtsied to a tallish branch that jutted up from the forest floor, “Ah, Ms. Romanov, you look well this evening.” She turned and glided across the clearing to a short tree and daintily shook an armlike twig that stuck out from one side. “What’s that, Mr. Rogers? Call you Steve? If you insist, sir – then you must call me Pepper.”

Pepper picked up a twig with a flourish, “With this candle, I will light your way in darkness.” She held her ‘candle’ aloft briefly, then dropped to her knees next to another of the strange-looking branches that stuck up from the leaf litter that covered the clearing. With a decisive tone in her voice, confidence ringing with each word, Pepper said, “With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”

A wind rustled through the bare tree branches above and from somewhere nearby, she could hear the caw of a crow. Pepper looked away from the branch and the ring for a moment and saw to her astonishment that each branch of all the trees surrounding the clearing was fully occupied by crows.

As she turned her head, wondering at the birds, something grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her arm into the snowbank. With a scream, Pepper pulled her arm away. As she did so, to her horror she saw a skeletal hand attached to a bony arm pulling her down toward the snow. Pepper gasped and was too frightened to scream again, but she pulled as hard as she could, staggering back when the arm gave way.

She panted with both terror and relief to have gotten away only to notice the hand was still grabbing her wrist. Pepper shrieked, shaking her arm vigorously, stumbling and sitting down hard on her bottom as it flew off in the other direction. Then, eyes like saucers, she turned toward the rustling sound she heard behind her and gaped in horror at the snowbank _shifting from below._

Pepper scrambled backward, legs kicking as a figure in a shabby suit pulled itself jerkily out of the snow and stood before her. No… the suit wasn’t shabby… it was ragged from decay. Fully on its feet, the corpse took a step toward Pepper, standing at her feet and in a hoarse voice said, “I do.”

The corpse offered its? his? hand to help Pepper up. Pepper’s eyebrows were so high they were nearly in her hairline and her heart hammered so hard, it felt as though it might leap from her chest. For a moment, all she could do was lean farther away, mouth open like a melodrama actress on the stage.

Suddenly, though, as the figure stepped toward her again, Pepper found her feet and sprinted away as fast as her heeled boots would carry her.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

_“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.”_

The voice called to Tony Stark from above. In his resting place… if you could call it that… being murdered and covered over with leaves and branches. Forgotten. _Get lost_ , he thought sourly.

_“Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine.”_

Tony turned his head to look up toward the direction of the voice, less annoyed now because the voice sounded so _sure_. Across the table, his best friend, James Rhodes said, “Barton is going to start touching things here if you don’t pay attention.”

The wind breathed a name, _“Pepper.”_

“Shut up,” Tony grumbled, forcing his eyes to stare back at his work bench and the tools and projects scattered there. He didn’t hear what Rhodey and Clint Barton were saying at all and didn’t notice the strange looks they gave him.

_“With this candle, I will light your way in darkness.”_

The voice tugged at the core of his being. Tony wiped his hands on a rag, “I’ve… gotta go. Stay away from my stuff, Clint.” His stomach clenched in a way he hadn’t felt in years – _hoping_. He staggered out of his workshop before running through the streets and dashing up the stairs of the closest tower.

_“With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”_

Tony’s eyes fluttered closed and he found himself in the snow among the leaves again. Someone was holding his hand so carefully, gently. _Had anyone ever touched him so gently?_ Tony held on and tried to pull himself up, the weight of the leaves and snow holding him down. The hand holding his gave a tug, but that just succeeded in pulling off what was left of his left arm. That happened to everybody now and then, though.

He stood up slowly and took a step toward where his wife had fallen. Tony ran his fingers through his hair and was met with a vision: a woman with luminous blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair starting to slip from her chignon. _Absolutely gorgeous_. “I do.”

Tony offered his good hand to his wife, who looked as shocked as Tony felt. The woman, his wife, Pepper, scrambled back and started to run. Following the sound of snapping twigs, Tony followed steadily behind, walking briskly, but not needing to run to keep up. He smiled to himself.

He didn’t notice that his footsteps made no sound, that he almost glided between the trees and through the cemetery to the bridge that separated the church, cemetery, and the forest from the town proper. Tony found Pepper holding her side, panting for breath on bridge. The woman’s face beginning to brighten.

Unable to resist, Tony crept behind her, to tease his new partner. Pepper turned around to face him, close enough now that Tony could smell her perfume. Tony smiled, “You can kiss me now.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips over the warm lips of his new wife who promptly fainted. Catching Pepper before she fell, Tony murmured softly, “I think maybe you’re laced too tightly for running, sweetheart.”

Tony picked up his wife and let the same pulling sensation he’d felt earlier carry them both back home to the world below.

Back in his workshop where he’d left his friends, Tony laid Pepper carefully on the floor and crouched beside her, cradling her head. As the woman’s long, gilded lashes fluttered open and she dazedly tried to take things in, Tony asked, “Are you all right?”

“What? What happened?” Pepper sounded very confused.

Clint peered down, “I don’t believe it, Stark…. She's still squishy!”

Pepper stood quickly and swayed for a moment. Tony rose also.

Rhodey rummaged in a cupboard and poured drinks for himself, Tony, and Clint. He raised his glass, “A toast! To the newlyweds!”

“Salud!” Clint nodded and raised his glass, draining it in one swallow, the green-colored alcohol clearly visible through his skeletal ribcage.

Pepper blinked, “N- newlyweds?”

Holding her hand gently, Tony nodded, “In the woods – you said your vows so perfectly.” He held out his hand and showed off the simple gold band.

“I did?” Pepper gasped and whispered, “I _did_ …” She pinched her arm, whispering, “Wake up, Pepper! Wake up!” Pepper backed away until she bumped into a metal structure that turned and moved its claw, attempting to grab her arm. “Please! I have so many questions right now. I need answers.”

“Quit that, DUM-E.” Tony said sternly. He admired Pepper’s relative calm in the presence of so many of the deceased - and a robot - which certainly must be unusual for the young woman.

Pepper squared her shoulders and continued, ignoring the strands of hair that fell around her face, “What’s going on here? Where am I? Who are you?”

Tony cleared his throat and looked away, “Well, that’s kind of a long story. Boring. Not very interesting at all.”

Rhodey rolled his eyes, and sighed “This story’s famous around here. Classic tale of romance, passion, and murder.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Rhodey,” Tony sulked.

“Not a big deal? You were _murdered_ , Tones!” Rhodey raised his hands, exasperated. Closed his eyes a moment to help keep his temper and turned back to Pepper, “All right, here’s the story. Years ago now, this guy – my best friend, I might add – met a beautiful stranger and fell head over heels for her. His father was a very successful inventor. They had money.” He leveled a gaze at Pepper, looking unamused. “My friend – the idiot – decided that eloping against everyone else’s wishes was a great idea. Brought money, his mother’s jewelry – you name it.”

Tony blushed scarlet and frowned, “You’re boring her, honeybear.”

“I am not. _Shh._ This is important – she needs to know.” Rhodey replied. “Anyway, this woman talked him into meeting late at night in the woods past the cemetery. He didn’t tell anyone – not even his best friend.”

Rhodey looked genuinely pained even after all this time and Tony squirmed, “I can only apologize so many times, gum drop.”

Pressing his lips into a firm line, Rhodey turned his gaze back to Pepper. “He went to the big oak tree next to the graveyard. It was so foggy that night, you could hardly see your hand in front of your face.”

Clint started to lose patience, “C’mon Rhodes – speed it up!”

“But he waited there for her anyway,” Rhodey continued, ignoring Clint. “There was motion in the shadows, but he couldn’t see who – or what – it was. Could it be her?”

Rhodey was apparently warming up to the storytelling, Tony thought acidly.

“And then, boom! Everything went dark and when he opened his eyes, he found himself here. Money never meant much to him, but he was broken-hearted, doomed to wait next to the oak tree for his bride.”

“‘Doomed’ is kind of colorful language there, don’t you think?” Tony said, folding his arms.

“Well how many years has it been, Tones? How many years have you been beating yourself up over this? You fell in love and you trusted that woman. Love’s blind, I guess.” Rhodey’s face softened. “I’m not mad _at_ you – you know that, right? I’m angry on your behalf. You deserve justice.”

Tony paced once, then twice, “Can we just drop it? Please?”

“Fine, Tones. Fine. Subject dropped.” Rhodey caught Pepper’s eye again and winked, “Boom.”

Pepper giggled even though she woke from a faint to find herself surrounded by the dead. _Without a chaperone_ , she thought to herself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Meanwhile, Lord James Barnes stood gazing out the window into the night, fingering his watch fob absently.

“Come away from the window, my Lord,” Natasha said, gently touching his arm before returning to her seat next to Steve.

James turned away from the window and crossed the room to rejoin the conversation, though he was disinclined to participate.

Pepper’s father tried to smile reassuringly at them, “I’m sure she’ll be back shortly.”

“How far could she get anyway?” Mrs. Potts started, but her husband elbowed her, cutting her off because she needed to concentrate for the moment on not spilling her tea.

James breathed a sigh of relief for the knock at the door that interrupted this whole thread of conversation.

“Enter!” Steve said loudly enough to be heard through the heavy door.

Lady Bain opened the door with a flourish, looking too polished and superior, James thought. He schooled his features and concealed his distaste for the woman as best he could.

Natasha stood and smiled blandly, “Ah! Lady Bain, I trust the room is to your liking.”

“Thank you, you are a most gracious hostess… which is why it pains me to be the bearer of such bad news.” Lady Bain crossed the room slowly and sank into the sofa.

James didn’t think she looked very pained at all. In fact, he thought that was glee glimmering in her eyes. He stood still in his place behind the sofa, face totally neutral.

Lady Bain waved her hand and a small grimy boy with a stack of newspapers under his arm entered and squared his shoulders.

“Would you care to repeat tonight’s headline for us?” her Ladyship asked silkily.

The boy nodded sharply, “’Course, milady. POTTS HEIRESS SEEN TONIGHT ON THE BRIDGE IN THE ARMS OF A MYSTERY MAN! THE DARK-HAIRED LIBERTINE AND MISS POTTS STOLE AWAY INTO THE NIGHT!”

The barest hint of a smirk hovered at the corner of Lady Bain’s lips. “Thank you! That will be all.”

The boy clicked his heels together with another nod, bowed, and then strolled away.

Mrs. Potts spluttered, “Mystery man? Virginia doesn’t know any _men_ ….”

Sniffing disdainfully, her Ladyship hummed with feigned sympathy, “Or so you thought.”

This spectacle was enough to make James so furious he squeezed the wooden sofa frame hard enough to leave an impression in the wood. It would only harm Pepper’s reputation further if he interrupted to defend her. Expressing his opinion of Lady Bain aloud would hurt _his_ reputation. Then the newsboy’s words sank in. _What?_ Pepper wouldn’t do that… there had to be some kind of mistake.

Lady Bain, walked smugly to the parlor door and inclined her head toward them all, “Do call for me if you need my assistance – in any way.” She shut the door behind her, leaving the room in a stunned silence.

James felt like all the air had left the room and gasped softly, before realizing he’d done so. He closed it belatedly, when he pricked his finger on a splinter and decided then and there that she was innocent until proven guilty as far as he was concerned.

“What shall we do, Barnes?” Natasha asked as she began to pace.

Steve growled, “Fetch my musket!”

Mrs. Potts inhaled audibly, “Finis! Do something!”

Mr. Potts walked toward James. “I’m sure there must have been some misunderstanding. Virginia’s not that sort of girl. The lad probably just had slow night. You know how it is – they need shout about something to sell newspapers.” While the older man tried to sound cheerful, James could see genuine worry pinching his features.

“Regardless – we are one bride short for the wedding tomorrow!” Steve snarled before his face fell and he murmured, “Sorry, Buck – I got carried away….”

Natasha looked ready to spit nails. “A most scandalous embarrassment for us all!”

“Give us a chance to find her. Just give us until dawn,” Mr. Potts pleaded.

Leveling a stern gaze at the merchant, Natasha nodded, “Very well then, until dawn.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Clint rested an elbow on Tony’s shoulder, “Your girlfriend’s taking this pretty well.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s my wife,” Tony muttered to himself. Then raising his eyes to meet Pepper’s, he smiled tentatively. “Would you… ah… like to take a walk? See the city?”

Pepper opened her mouth, Tony could all but hear the polite denial already. Then she tilted her head, considering, “Well, why not?”

The pair walked through the city’s narrow, twisting cobblestone streets. A few minutes later, they climbed the stairs of the tower nearby to get a better view.

Tony smiled at Pepper, “Isn't the view beautiful? It takes my breath away. Well, it would if I had any.” He chuckled lamely at his own joke and sat on the bench in this viewing deck. “It’s kind of romantic, don’t you think?” He patted the bench next to him and Pepper followed, sitting beside him.

Pepper sat near Tony on the bench. “I’ve had a lovely time meeting you and your friends. I am terribly sorry about what's happened to you and I would like to help. But I really need to get home,” Pepper said softly, her eyes not meeting his.

Tony shook his head. “ _This_ is your home now, Pep.”

“But I don’t even know your name,” Pepper protested.

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, that’s a great way to start a marriage.” He smiled tentatively at Pepper, “It’s Tony – Tony Stark.”

“Tony,” Pepper repeated quietly to herself.

“Oh! I almost forgot. I have something for you. It’s kind of a wedding present.” Tony smiled expectantly at Pepper and stood and moved to knock on the tower’s door behind them.

Pepper watched nervously.

Tony bit his lip with anticipation. He was sure Pepper would like this… _but what if she didn’t? Well, too late now._

A skeleton in a high-necked blue dress answered the door, “Oh, Tony. How nice to see you –” Her voice trailed off into nothing when she saw Pepper and she raised one of her trembling, bony hands to her mouth. “Virginia?”

Tony watched as Pepper nodded, uncertainty clouding her features. “I must apologize I – ” Pepper’s gaze fell to the brooch on the woman’s dress, a silver filigree rooster. “That… is a very distinctive brooch.”

The woman, the first Mrs. Potts, nodded gently. “My little girl gave this to me when I fell ill.”

Her eyes filling with tears, Pepper struggled and failed to keep her emotions in check. Voice trembling, she asked, “Mama?”

The woman nodded and threw her arms around Pepper, “Oh, my darling girl! How I’ve missed you!”

Pepper cried and hugged her mother tightly. “I’ve missed you too.”

Tony smiled, pleased with the results of his surprise. “I’ll let you two ladies chat for a while. Just come back to my workshop when you’re ready. And you know you’re always welcome, Mrs. Potts. Drop by anytime.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Lead Me Into His Dark Land, Chapter 3  
> Collaborator: Faustess-3059  
> Square Filled: BBB – Y3: Whiplash  
> TSB – A4: Last Chance  
> Ladies of Marvel Bingo: N1 “I regret the night I put that ring on.”
> 
> Ship: ChillyPepperony (pre-Tony/Bucky/Pepper)  
> Rating: Teen  
> Major Tags/Warnings: Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Cheating, Pre-Poly, Supernatural Elements
> 
> Summary: Pepper returns to say good-bye to James, but Tony misunderstands and reconsiders the wisdom of their marriage. Meanwhile, James raves about the living dead walking the earth and even his best friends are afraid for his welfare... and his marriage prospects.
> 
> Word Count: 4481

Later, when Pepper returned to his workshop, Tony said, “I knew you’d be happy to see her.” That wasn’t quite true, but he’d certainly _hoped_ Pepper would be glad to see her mother again and not appalled by his assumption that of course she’d want to see the animated remains of her mother – such as they were. He hadn’t thought of that until after he’d knocked on Mrs. Potts’s door, though, and at that point it’d been too late.

Pepper nodded, “I’m sure my stepmother would never approve.” A cloud of emotions passed over Pepper’s face, “But then again, she never approved of anything that made me happy.”

“She wouldn’t have approved of me,” Tony ventured, waggling his eyebrows.

Pepper half-laughed, “Well, you’re lucky you’ll never have to meet her.”

Tony couldn’t quite say how he’d gotten the idea. It had just kind of… sprung to life in his mind. “Well, why not? Since we’re… married… I should definitely meet your stepmother. And your father too. Why not go see them right now?”

Pepper’s eyes widened and a smile slowly spread across her face, “That’s a fantastic idea!” Then a cloud of doubt settled in, “But they’re…” She pointed up toward the surface.

Tony nodded, understanding, “Still alive, huh?”

“I’m afraid so,” Pepper agreed. Her shoulders slumped.

“Hmmm.. That is a problem,” Tony said, deep in thought.

Tony slipped his hand into Pepper’s and led the way downstairs to a courtyard garden full of unusual plants. Some looked like jack-in-the-pulpits that he remembered with from springtime walks in the woods, only they were a deep burgundy color and stood waist high. Others had long, cascading clusters of creamy pale bell-shaped flowers with a surprisingly pleasing scent.

“We could…” Tony started after several moments of silence.

Pepper startled at the sound of his voice. He couldn’t tell if this was from the lull in their conversation or because she was still adapting to conversing with a dead man. If there was anything that he’d noticed about Pepper, it was that she was vibrantly _alive_.

“Nah… I’d hate to bother him…” Tony mumbled to himself.

“Who?” Pepper asked, curious.

“Well…, why not?” Tony muttered with a shrug, seeming to have come to a decision. “Doctor Strange,” he said by way of an explanation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Frankly, Pepper wasn’t sure she liked the sound of this fellow. At first she’d been afraid – the land of the dead had felt intimidating and frightening at first. But the people seemed to be friendly and not nearly so formal as in the land of the living. They’d gone out of their way to make her feel welcome. Pepper stole a glance at Tony. _Maybe it’s just him_ , she thought, noticing the curls in his hair and the intelligence in his dark brown eyes.

Pepper frowned to herself, remembering how Tony’s friend Rhodey had described Tony’s murder. If he’d been in life anything like the man she’d… married, then she sided with Rhodey. Tony deserved justice.

On the other hand, she was betrothed to Lord Barnes, who had treated her kindly also. Lord – _James_ – deserved answers too. And he deserved to hear the truth from her.

Tony brought them to a crumbling manor house with large windows, all with the curtains drawn tightly. The building noticeably sagged on one side, but must have been a vision when new.

Hesitantly, Tony looked around and called softly, “Doctor Strange… are you there? Hello? Anyone home?”

Pepper looked around and nearly ran into a stack of books taller than she was. Once her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she could see that the room they’d entered was a large hall with bookshelves from floor to ceiling and stacks of books piled high seemingly at random.

 _Blitz’s Fire-Eating Made Easy_? _A Familiar History of the Summerlands_ by Elder Gutkneckt? Pepper scanned the titles with wonder. The _Hermetical Triumph or the Victortious Philosophical Stone: A Treatise_ by Harris? The wealth of knowledge in these and the other books piled haphazardly around the hall made her own education seem woefully insufficient.

Pepper was so lost in thought, that her elbow bumped the next stack of books and sent them toppling, which startled a murder of crows, who cawed and flapped loudly from where they’d been perched, nearly invisible in the shadows, now heading out the broken skylight above.

A carpet – no – a cape rose from the opposite end of the hall, gliding toward them, a hand carrying a lantern. “There you are,” Tony said.

“Indeed. There _you_ are.” The tall, _floating_ skeleton agreed with a deeper voice than Pepper had imagined skeletons might have. Not that she’d put much thought into that up to this point.

“I’ve brought my wife, Pepper,” Tony smiled, gesturing to her.

“What’s that? Wife?” the skeleton Pepper assumed to be Doctor Strange sounded decidedly skeptical.

“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” Pepper managed to say and gave a little wave, forgetting her manners altogether. _I should have curtsied…_ , she chastised herself internally.

“We need to go up. Upstairs? To visit the land of the living,” Tony replied, seeming not to notice Strange’s doubts.

Strange floated past and retrieved a book, tucking it under his arm. “Land of the living?” he scoffed.

Tony picked up Pepper’s hand and took it between both his cool, pale hand and the skeletal one. “Please, Doctor Strange?”

Strange snorted, “Now why do you want to go up there, when people are dying to get down here?”

Pepper spoke up, “Please, sir… it means so much to me… to us.”

Tony looked at Pepper and smiled encouragingly.

Doctor Strange floated down to the floor. If a skeleton could frown and raise an eyebrow, Pepper felt sure this one would.

“I don’t know… it’s just not natural,” Strange grumbled.

Tony released Pepper’s hand and held Strange’s hand in supplication. “Please, Doctor. There must be something you can do.”

Strange looked for a long moment at Tony. A moment _too_ long, Pepper thought to herself, eyes narrowing.

Then the Doctor squeezed Tony’s hand, “Fine. Let me see what I can do.” Strange didn’t so much agree as declare. “Where did I put that book? I left it here somewhere…” He floated up and around the room, leaving dust swirling and scattering more than a few moths.

“There’s the one.” The book hovered in front of Strange, pages turning so fast they seemed to blur together. “I have it. A Ukrainian haunting spell. Just the thing for these quick trips.”

Tony leaned closer and whispered, “I’m so glad I thought of this.”

He sounded so happy that Pepper felt guilty for thinking at all about James. “Me too,” she murmured.

Doctor Strange cleared his throat and produced a hand-sized silver egg from a cabinet drawer. “Ah, here we have it. Ready?”

Pepper got the distinct impression the man was looking down his nose at her.

“Just remember – when you want to come back, say ‘Hopscotch.’” Humor edged Strange’s words.

“Hopscotch?” Tony asked, laughing.

To Pepper, it was clear enough why Strange had made the recall word something funny – just to make Tony laugh. A laugh which Pepper would pay money to hear again – all the odd circumstances aside. If this Doctor wizard-person liked Tony so much, why hadn’t he done something about it? Or maybe he had, and it just didn’t work out, Pepper considered.

“That’s it,” Strange confirmed and cracked the egg, a yellowish mist surrounded them… smelling mostly of very faded perfume and only very slightly of sulfur.

When the mist dissolved around them, Pepper felt the cold bite of the winter air around them. She looked over to see Tony staring, transfixed, at the moon.

“I’ve spent so long in the darkness, I’d almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight is,” Tony said, his voice hushed with awe. He turned his head to look at Pepper and smiled, offering his hand, “Care to dance?”

Tony pulled her into something like a waltz and they glided, taking a full turn around the clearing in the woods.

 _It’s now or never, Virginia._ “Hold on. I… think I should… prepare father and my stepmother for the big news. I. Think… you should… wait. Here.” She wasn’t _lying_ – she was just going to speak to them _after_ apologizing to James.

Tony blinked, but sat down on a tree stump, and smiled, “Perfect.”

“I won’t be gone long,” Pepper tried to sound confident and reassuring. “Stay right here.” She slowly backed away, toward the bridge and the town. “I’ll be right back – no peeking.”

“Okay,” Tony said, swinging his feet a little. He smiled at Pepper, happy, pleased, trusting.

Pepper ran as fast as her high button shoes and corset stays allowed and arrived, panting, at Winterbrook. Raising her hand to knock, she heard the bolt slide into place, locking the door. From the other side of the door, she could hear Rogers cursing, “If I ever see that Potts girl again, I’ll strangle her with my bare hands!”

“Your hands aren’t strong enough,” Ms. Romanov snarled. “I’ll do it.”

Pepper’s eyes widened in horror as she brought her hand to her neck unconsciously and backed away to find some other way inside.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Meanwhile in the cemetery, Tony waited, hunched forward, elbows on his knees. He sighed heavily and started talking to himself, the way he often did in the workshop when solving a problem. “I have a bad feeling about this. She’s been gone too long.”

He shook his head, trying to clear away those nagging doubts, “No. No. She’s just gone to see her parents. That might take a while for a woman in a corset.” Tony tried not to let that image burn itself into his mind. It’s not like Pepper was likely to want any kind of unnecessary physical contact with him after all.

“Yeah right.” Tony mumbled to himself. He _had_ been waiting a long time. Surely, she wouldn’t mind if he was just a few minutes early.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pepper scrambled around to the side of the house and found it covered with thick, gnarled vines of ivy. She stared at the vines with grim determination, not even considering the toll such a climb would take on her skirts. The only thing she’d ever climbed before was a staircase, but she didn’t have time to fret about improprieties.

Her hands burned and stung from the blisters forming on her palms as she clambered over the second story balcony railing as quietly as she could. _Thank the gods – the shutters weren’t closed!_ Peering inside, she could see the back of James’s head, with his chocolate brown locks. She’d never felt so relieved in her life and knocked as quietly as she could, hoping she wouldn’t startle him too badly.

James started and turned around, but upon recognizing her, his entire face glowed with a smile and he hurried to unlatch the window.

Pepper slipped in as quickly as possible and closed the glass door to the balcony again, still panting from her exertions. “James?”

“Pepper!” His face was radiant. “I’m so happy to see you! Come by the fire.” James led her by the hand to sit on the small footstool near the fireplace. He sat across from her – practically knee to knee and leaned forward, still concerned, “Where have you been? Are you all right?”

Pepper blinked, hardly knowing where to start. This wasn’t how she’d imagined their conversation would go, but now that she was here, she wondered how she could have thought James would be anything other than wonderful, and then looked down and sighed, miserable. “I- I- I- …Oh dear.”

James touched her hand, “You’re as cold as death! What’s happened to you?” Then he noticed her dress was torn, “Your gown! Pepper please – tell me what happened.”

Glancing quickly at her dress, she had the briefest thought that she’d receive another lecture from her stepmother about the value of making a good impression, which was frankly the least of her worries at this point. Pepper sighed again, “James, I confess. This morning I was terrified of marriage.” She looked at him, pleading. “But then upon meeting you, I felt that I should be with you always and that our wedding couldn’t come soon enough.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

James smiled and leaned forward, clasping both of Pepper’s hands in his. “Pepper – I feel the same.” After the catastrophe this afternoon, he felt tears prickle his eyes and chided himself for being so sentimental.

Then, before he knew what was happening, Pepper leaned closer to him, the flickering of the firelight and the moon’s gentle silver illumination shone on her face and James’s heart leapt and a jolt of desire shot from the base of his spine down through his thighs. _A kiss!_ But just as his eyes started to close, Pepper gasped in horror, looking over his shoulder.

He started to turn – to see what could be so awful, but Pepper turned his head back to face her. Her words tumbled out, “I seem to find myself married. And you should know it’s unexpected.”

James felt the color drain from his face. Before he could process what Pepper had said, though, the balcony door opened, the cold wind that whooshed in, and he twisted out of Pepper’s hands to look and gasped.

A man with tousled dark hair and crisply trimmed goatee stepped into his room. He wore what had been a very fashionable suit ten years ago, with black pants that fit very snugly around the thighs – not he would admit noticing. This fellow was easily the most beautiful man he’d ever laid eyes on.

Pepper rushed to her feet and James felt himself stand, though he hardly realized he’d done it. At least if Pepper saw this figure too, he wasn’t imagining things, though.

The man brushed off a few fallen leaves off the sleeve of his jacket. No –he must be mistaken – for a moment, he could have sworn that hand was a skeleton’s hand. “Hey Pepper, light of my life, I just wanted to meet –” He froze upon seeing James and looked as though he’d been slapped across the face.

Pepper’s eyes darted between the two men, her fingers fiddling with her dress’s sash.

“Sweetheart? Who’s this?” The man spoke slowly and took Pepper’s hand.

 _The Dark-Haired Libertine!_ James stared in shock and could hardly believe it himself when he heard his own voice ask flatly, “Who’s he?”

The man tipped his head to the side and glared at him. “I’m her husband,” then held out his hand to show off the ring. Proof.

James’s head turned to Pepper, “Pepper?”

“J- James! Wait – you don’t understand.” Pepper stammered.

James noticed a flurry of emotions flash across Pepper’s… husband’s features: shock, hurt, betrayal, and then it settled into anger. He set his jaw and grabbed Pepper’s wrist. “Hopscotch!” he snarled.

And then some force was pulling them both away from her into the night. She could hear Pepper cry out, “No! No – James!”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

When they got back to Doctor Strange’s Sanctorum, Tony shoved Pepper away. “You lied to me! Just to get back to that man!”

Pepper gestured with her hands, “Don’t you see? I was trying to tell him I was married and how unexpected it was to be free to marry one moment and spoken for the next.”

“Sure, tell me another,” Tony growled, but he wanted to believe Pepper. “You didn’t need to explain anything – you’re married to me!” His voice rose and quavered and Tony turned around quickly and covered his face with his hands so Pepper wouldn’t see the tears that had started stinging his eyes.

Doctor Strange was leaning against one of his many bookshelves (they were in his home after all). “He’s got a point,” he said, shrugging.

Tony sniffled, “And I thought… this was all going so well.” His shoulders shook and he was sure no one in the room was fooled into thinking he’d kept his composure. He tugged a handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose.

“I’m so sorry, Tony.” Pepper stepped closer and stood at his shoulder. Her voice sounded so gentle. “This was just a misunderstanding.”

Tony hated the tremble in his voice when he answered, “Why should I believe you?”

Pepper took a few steps away, putting some distance between them, twisting the end of her sash as she spoke. “He was my betrothed… we were to be married today. I just – ”

Whirling around to face Pepper, Tony shouted, “You should’ve thought of that before you asked me to marry you!”

Pepper snapped back, “Why can’t you understand? I was just trying to tell him he’s free to marry someone else!” She started to cry, “I was just trying to do the right thing! I’ve never been married to a corpse before, so I apologize I hurt your feelings. I fully intended to speak to my father – after I told James what had happened.”

The sincerity behind Pepper’s words settled into Tony’s bones. The fight drained out of him and he turned and walked away – just letting his feet take him wherever they wanted to go.

Eventually, he found some empty wooden coffins in one of the crooked alleys nearby and sat. He tore the stupid, desiccated white rose boutonniere from his jacket lapel and threw it down with as much force as he could for something so light.

“Eternal love – bah,” Tony grumbled to himself. The white rose’s meaning was why he’d chosen it all those years ago, after all.

A few minutes later, Clint shuffled up and sat next to him. “Why so blue?”

Tony sighed heavily, “I messed up. Maybe Pepper and I are too different for this to work.” He’d seen the way this James guy had looked at her. Pepper deserved someone like that – _alive_ – and who wouldn’t work himself into a self-doubting mess that tarnished her motives in his mind. “I wish I’d never put on this ring.”

Rhodey walked up, having followed Clint, and leaned against the wall, “What were you supposed to think in a situation like that?”

“Maybe she does belong with him.” Tony couldn’t help curling his lip with contempt and rolled his eyes, “Mr. Living… with his warm hands and beating heart.” He sighed again and hunched forward, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands.

“That guy’s so boring! You’ve got so much more! You’ve got… you’ve got…” Clint seemed to be wracking his mind for something that might compensate for Tony’s deathly pallor and skeletal arm, “a wonderful personality!”

Shaking his head sadly, Tony went back to staring at the pavement next to his shoes.

Rhodey cleared his throat and folded his arms, “He can’t hold a candle to your dazzling smile.”

“How about a pulse?” Tony mumbled to himself.

“Overrated!” Rhodey insisted.

“And that dumbass isn’t wearing her ring,” Clint reminded him.

“But he breathes air…” Tony said.

“Who cares, Tones?” Rhodey asked. “Just talk to Pepper. Talk to her – please?”

Tony didn’t look at either of his friends, just stared at the ground. He felt worse than he had even when he’d been murdered. A living woman wanting to marry a man who was also alive? Who might be able to give her a family someday? Those were reasonable things to expect from a marriage. No matter what she said now, in a few years, she’d wish for the life she could have had up there. “I’ll think about it Rhodey-o.”

“As long as you never call me that again, we’re good, Tones,” his best friend replied.

Closing his eyes, Tony leaned back against the ancient bricks of the building behind him, allowing himself to feel this bone-weary sadness and be soothed by his friends.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At Winterbrook, James tried to explain to Natasha again what he had seen. “It’s true Nat! Pep- _Virginia_ is married to a dead man!” A wild gleam had come into his eye after the first time he’d relayed the story. “I saw him! A corpse! Standing right here with Virginia!” James gestured to his bedroom floor.

Indignant, Natasha exclaimed, “Miss Potts was in your room?”

“We have to help her!” James pleaded.

Natasha tented her fingers over her eyes and her jaw twitched with annoyance, “The scandal!”

Steve reached out and took one of James’s hands, “It’s all right, I’ll have the cook send up something sweet for you to help chase those nightmares away. Everything will be fine.”

 _…Did Steve fear for his sanity?_ James caught sight of himself in the looking glass. Disheveled, hair askew, cravat tossed over the back of a chair. He did indeed appear to either be coming unhinged or some foul seducer. _Oh dear._

Natasha swatted Steve’s hands away from him. “Better to send for a straitjacket! He’s completely mad!” Natasha still looked angry that he’d meet a reputable young woman like Virginia Potts alone in his room, “Come, Steve.” Shooing their friend out of James’s room, Natasha produced the key to the bedroom with a grim flourish… and locked James in.

James backed away from his bedroom door, reeling. _They think me mad. How can I be any help to Pepper now?_

Bumping into his balcony door, he thought of that last glimpse of Pepper being pulled away from him into the blackness of night. He rested his forehead on the cool glass panes and took a deep breath, then whispered to himself, “Pepper needs me. I can’t abandon her now.”

His eyes fell on the balcony door’s handle. After a worrisome moment where the door stuck, James wrenched the handle with all his might, and the door gave way.

James walked to the edge of the balcony and looked back at his curtains and bedclothes, calculating their yardage. Setting his jaw, he went to work, fashioning as sturdy a rope as he could and secured it to the balcony railing and began lowering himself down.

Halfway down, James heard the distinct sound of fabric tearing and he fell to the ground with a grunt, just in time to see Natasha and Steve leave the room. He waited a moment, but they didn’t return, so they must not have heard anything. Standing slowly, to determine if he’d been injured, James straightened his spine and pressed his lips together in determination, then made his way to the parish church.

James ran as fast as he could over the slippery wet cobblestones. Panting at the door, he lifted the heavy iron door knocker. The loud, clanking thud against the old oak planks of the church door echoed through the church on the other side of the door.

“What in Heaven’s name is going on out there?” Reverend Fury grumbled as he opened the door.

James stood on the doorstep, soaked to the skin by the rain.

Fury pulled back, astonished, “Lord Barnes! What are you doing here? You should be at home, prostrate with grief.”

James tried to keep his voice level, “Reverend Fury, I have to ask you something.”

“This is unacceptable. Most irregular.” Reverend Fury started to close the door.

“Please – I’m begging you. You are the only one living who knows what awaits beyond the grave.”

Fury stopped, considering, in spite of himself, “A grim topic for a one about to be married.”

“It is – well, a husband – I fear… Which is why I must know – ” James’s words nearly choked him, “Can the living marry the dead?”

The Reverend leaned away, “What on Earth are you talking about?”

James tried to clarify, “Please, it’s Pepper. She’s married to a corpse. Her husband is a corpse. There must be some way to undo what’s been done.” It was his feelings for Pepper that gave him the audacity to speak to a man of the cloth so directly.

Nodding slightly to himself, Reverend Fury said, “I believe I know what to do. Come with me.”

For a moment James thought he meant to help, and his heart soared, only to have the Reverend pull on his heavy coat and boots and drag him back to Winterbrook. Natasha answered his knock at the door.

“He’s speaking in tongues of unholy alliances! His mind has come undone, I fear,” Reverend Fury said, sounding distinctly put out about being hounded out of bed at such an unreasonable hour.

“It’s not true! Let me go! Let me go!” James couldn’t help but struggle. He needed to find some way to help Pepper…. And her husband had looked so betrayed – had Pepper not told him that she was going to be married? Had she been married the whole time? _No, no, surely not - that was silly._

“Thank you, Reverend. Good night,” Natasha said, the picture of politeness. As soon as the door closed, she cried, “Take him to his room!”

“No, I’m telling the truth! Pepper needs my help!” James shot a pleading glance at Steve, who had taken one of his arms as firmly as he could, while the butler took his other. “Stevie, you believe me, don’t you?”

“Seal the doors and bar the windows. See to it that he doesn’t escape again!” Natasha said, the picture of vicious efficiency.

James struggled, but the family’s butler was stronger than he looked and James didn’t dare risk hurting Steve by putting up too much of a fight. From the top of the staircase, she heard Natasha say, “What are we going to do? It will be years before we can show ourselves in public again!”

Lady Bain spoke, but by that time, James was too far away to hear what she said.

As soon as the key turned in the lock, James tried to pry the door open with the fireplace poker. Sweating and panting with his exertions, he almost didn’t hear the key in the door this time. He tucked the poker behind his back just in time for Steve and Natasha to enter.

“Good news, Buck,” Steve said, his deep voice sounding pained for being the bearer of good news. “There’ll be a wedding after all.”

A happy smile flickered to life at James’s lips, “You’ve found her?”

Natasha waved her hand, “Make haste, Yasha. Our guests will arrive at any moment. We must have you looking presentable for Lady Bain.”

James couldn’t believe his ears. “Lady Bain,” he repeated numbly.

“Lady Bain will make a fine wife,” Natasha nodded, sounding like she was trying to convince herself too.

“A fortuitous turn of events indeed,” Steve agreed, trying to sound cheerful.

The floor felt as though it might fall out from beneath his feet at any time. “But I don’t love her,” James mumbled.

“I know,” Steve said sadly.

“But Virginia…” James wrung his hands in nervous agitation.

“Virginia is gone, Yasha,” Natasha said gently. “I’m sorry, but we have to do the best we can under these circumstances.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: Lead Me into His Dark Land, chapter 4  
> Collaborator: Faustess – 3059  
> Square Filled: TSB – K5: I regret nothing  
> SBB – G4: Fluff  
> Ship/Main Pairing: ChillyPepperony (Tony/Bucky/Pepper)  
> Rating: Teen  
> Major Tags/Warnings: Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Cheating, Pre-Poly, Supernatural Elements  
> Summary: Tony and Pepper discuss their options and nothing on Earth will keep Lady Sunset Bain away from James Barnes. Will everyone get what they deserve and more? Read on friends.  
> Word Count: 5808

Later, in what was probably the morning, as best Pepper could figure out, she found the white rose boutonniere. Sure, all of this was sudden… and something she’d never dreamed of happening – who would? On the other hand, Tony wanted _her_ – not her family’s money. And she _liked_ this world with it’s strange, but friendly inhabitants and Tony’s workshop that smelled like metal and sawdust.

Pepper sighed, sitting in the courtyard garden with the strange plants she’d strolled through with Tony earlier and rolled the stem of rose between her fingers Even though she knew her intentions had been good, she still felt guilty for not having trusted Tony with all of her plans. She could hardly blame him for feeling hurt.

Later, she finally found Tony alone in his workshop, mending a clock. Hovering a few steps away from the workbench, Pepper held out the white rose. “I… think you dropped this.”

Tony didn’t look up from the piano keys, his slumped. He didn’t give any indication that he’d heard Pepper at all.

Pepper carefully placed the boutonniere next to a small pile of gears and turned to go. Sighing, she chastised herself for her cowardice. She took a deep breath and turned back to Tony. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t share the whole truth with you.”

Tony still didn’t look up from the cuckoo clock he was poring over.

“It’s just that… just that…” Pepper exhaled, “today hasn’t quite gone… according to plan.” She sat on a stool nearby. “And that’s not your fault.”

When Tony didn’t respond this time either, Pepper wasn’t sure what else she could do or say to make their situation less awkward.

Tony set down his tools and looked at her. “I was thinking…” He looked down and then back up at Pepper, “I… went to Doctor Strange and got another charm from him. …I can take you back up.”

Pepper stared at him, eyes wide. “What?”

He went back to fiddling with the clock on the workbench. “I can take you back… I don’t know… marriage is ‘til death do us part’ and I’m already dead… so…” Tony shrugged, “I think our marriage is null and void, so you’re free to win back your true love, Lord Sad-Eyes or whatever his name is.”

“James. His name is James,” Pepper said absently. Maybe she’d misunderstood earlier, misread Tony’s words and actions. Maybe she was an inconvenience to him? She was a bride he hadn’t asked for, after all.

“That’s what I said,” Tony said, grinning. The smile didn’t quite seem to reach his eyes though and Pepper’s heart felt like a stone in her chest – heavy and sluggish.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tony was honestly surprised that Pepper didn’t seem elated. “There’s no catch – it’s not a thing where you ate our food and have to stay. I’ll just take you home and that’s it.”

“And that’s it,” Pepper repeated to herself quietly. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.” He figured Pepper would ask why he hadn’t thought of this sooner.

Pepper looked up, the crystal blue of her eyes just drew Tony in. “Why were you so sure about me? How did you know about the vows and everything?”

Tony shifted uncomfortably. _What did Pepper care about how he felt? Why did it matter now?_ “I could hear you, but it was far away, but I had to pay attention… You sounded so sure… I couldn’t ignore you. Then you slid the ring on my finger and …I thought…” His carefully constructed nonchalance slipped. “I thought you loved me.” He tried to shrug it off. “It sounds stupid now. Anyway, let’s go.. Why wait, right?”

Pepper took the hand Tony offered, her hand felt so warm and alive and Tony’s heart ached knowing this would be the last time he’d see his wife. _No, not his wife_ – that had just been wishful thinking. They walked through the wood at the edge of the churchyard in silence.

When they got to the bridge, Tony stopped to gaze at moon from where it was peeking through the clouds one last time before turning his eyes to Pepper. Pepper rested her hands on the bridge’s railing, contemplating the night sky. This time she didn’t seem to be in a hurry, though.

Then Tony remembered something important. “This isn’t mine anymore, I guess.” With a twist, he slipped the ring off his finger and handed it to Pepper, who just stared at it in the palm of her hand, motionless. Returning the ring shouldn’t feel like such a big deal, since they hadn’t been truly married to begin with, but Tony felt its loss keenly.

“This just feels all wrong somehow,” Pepper said, breaking her silence.

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but Pepper interrupted. “I like you. I do.” She sighed and looked at the ring again before looping it onto her sash. “This has been the strangest, most exciting and terrifying day of my life. And though I never in my wildest dreams imagined being married to a dead man, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”

What could he do? Tony reached out and squeezed Pepper’s hand to reassure and thank her. “I’ll – ”

“HEAR YE, HEAR YE! POTTS HEIRESS STILL MISSING! LORD BARNES TO WED MYSTERIOUS NEWCOMER THIS EVENING!” The news boy’s booming cry echoed through the brick and stone buildings of the town.

Pepper’s jaw dropped. She looked like she’d swallowed a stone. “What?” she wheezed. “But James… how could he?”

Tony moved his head into Pepper’s field of vision, “Maybe they didn’t want to waste the cake?” He was hoping she would laugh.

Pepper managed a small smile that faded almost before it started. “Well, I suppose we should go home then.”

“What? You don’t want to stay?” Tony asked, incredulous.

Shaking her head, Pepper replied, “My stepmother will make my life even worse than before… and I don’t think my reputation will recover from eloping with a stranger on the eve of my wedding. I’d be a spinster – dependent on my family for the rest of my life.” Turning her gaze toward him again, she added, “That is, if you’ll have me. I can’t tell if I’m a burden to you or not.”

Tony’s face softened, “You’re not a burden, Pep. Never.” He hadn’t let go of Pepper’s hand. “I think… if that’s what you want… we should talk to Doctor Strange.”

Hand in hand, they walked back into the woods they’d come from.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

_Lady Bain?!_ The color in James’s cheeks had drained away with the shocking turn of events. His face was so pale, it nearly matched the white of the silk shirt he wore.

“We need to leave for the church now, Buck,” Steve said gently as he added a pin to James’s cravat.

James looked out the window, watching the crows and sea gulls reel over the city, “But today… my wedding won’t be happy. I feel like I’m caught in the tide and I’m being pulled out to sea.”

Steve tilted his head sympathetically, “The sea leads to many places, Bucky. Maybe you’ll land somewhere better.” He gave James a tight hug, then turned and hurried from the room.

James’s body moved. He walked. Descended the staircase. The butler guided him into the coach that took him to the church.

At present, Lady Bain was deftly placing her white taper candle into the brass candlestick. She turned to him, “With this ring, I ask you to be _mine_.” She slid the ring on his finger.

Reverend Fury pronounced them man and wife. It was over. The only sound that penetrated the sawdust feeling in James’s mind was the sound of Steve sniffling and blowing his nose.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tony and Pepper stood before Doctor Strange who searched through an even larger book than he had the last time they’d gone to visit him. “Well,” Strange said after reading and frowning at the page several times, “there is one way. It requires the greatest sacrifice.”

Pepper watched Tony cross his arms and scowl at Strange. “What is it?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nonplussed, Strange made eye contact with Tony, then Pepper. “Miss Potts would need to give up the life she had – forever. She needs to repeat her vows in the land of the living and then drink the Wine of Ages. That would stop her heart – only then would she be free to give it to you,” Strange said solemnly.

Tony gasped, “Poison?! No – I can’t ask her to do that.”

“You don’t have to.” Pepper tucked her hand in the crook of Tony’s elbow and whispered, “I’ll do it.”

Everything moved quickly after that – someone even repaired her wedding clothes and hurried off before she could properly thank him. It seemed everyone in this little underworld community was going to the surface with them to be part of the ceremony.

Pepper waited for Tony with his husband-to-be’s friends, Clint and Rhodey. When Tony stepped out, he took Pepper’s breath away. While Tony’s clothes were unmistakably from the underworld, they were also clean and free from holes and tears now. He looked very dashing indeed – positively elegant. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

James sat at the head of the table, with Lady... Barnes. _My god, she’s my wife_ , he thought to himself. In his opinion the dining room had never seemed more dismal. The faded silk wallpaper bled away into the shadows in the corners of the room. The fire from the fireplace and a handful of candles were all the light they had for the wedding dinner.

Looking around the table he saw Steve and Natasha, a couple of Mr. Potts’s colleagues, and several Very Aged aunts. When a maid brought out the tiniest wedding cake Bucky had ever seen, he could hardly bring himself to care. This disappointment was miniscule compared to the others he’d endured in the last thirty-two hours, but that even this small pleasure was taken from him magnified the others as well. It was a blessing really, that conversation languished and no one really expected him to be happy.

They hadn’t even cut the cake yet when Lady… no he couldn’t even think it… when her Ladyship stood to make a toast. “Quiet everyone,” she said unnecessarily; it was like a tomb in the dining room. “Thank you! Elegant, cultured, radiant – Lord Barnes has found a wife with all these qualities and more. Serendipity brought us together and no force on earth can tear us apart.”

He could scarcely believe his ears – _was she serious?!_ Common courtesy and etiquette demanded that the groom say something complimentary about the bride – not that he particularly wanted to, but he would have once he thought of some.

As he stared down the length of the dining table, forcing his face to not show the contempt he felt with this woman – his wife – the lights in the room took on an unearthly glow. Ghostly green flames leapt from the fireplace. For a moment, it seemed that nothing else would happen, but then skeletons began creeping out from the shadows.

The room dissolved into chaos when one Very Aged aunt shrieked. James stood, but remained where he was, his feet felt frozen to the ground. Steve disappeared amidst the chaos and Natasha stood on a chair, fending off a small skeletal dog with the meat fork. Her Ladyship crawled under the table to hide from the parade of the dead traipsing through Winterbrook.

The pandemonium spilled out onto the street and James sat back down in his place at the wedding table to dazedly survey the destruction. _Well, surely it couldn’t get any worse._

Her Ladyship slithered out from under the table and smoothed her hair. She started stalking behind James’s chair. “Right. That’s it. We’re going to take whatever money we can and get out of here.”

Bucky turned his head in disbelief. “Money? What money?”

“Your fortune!” his wife snarled, “It’s my right!”

Blinking, James said, “I don’t have any money – I spent my inheritance building care homes for veterans and on Steve’s treatments. It’s my marriage to you that will save us all from the poorhouse.”

“Th- the- the,” her Ladyship stammered, “poorhouse?!” She gripped James by his shoulders and shook him. “It’s a lie! Tell me it isn’t true! You’re lying!”

“Did things not go according to your plan, my Lady?” James pushed her hands away. “Well, perhaps, _wife_ , in disappointment we are perfectly matched.”

He hurried out of the room, leaving her Ladyship behind still snarling and sputtering. Once outside though, he found the dead speaking with their living loved ones – some walking arm in arm, others holding hands. They all seemed to be heading toward the church on the other side of the bridge.

James trailed behind them across the bridge.

“Begone, ye demons from Hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back... back... back.” Reverend Fury shouted as he tried to keep both the dead and the living out of the church.

“Keep it down! This is a church!” someone said as the stream of people living and dead stepped past the minister.

James waited until everyone was seated and he heard the music stop before tiptoeing into the church to hide behind a pillar to the side as close to the altar as he could without being seen.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tony stood expectantly at the altar. Doctor Strange stood behind the altar waiting as patiently as he could. Tony wondered if the man would be glad for the two of them to stop pestering him or not.

That train of thought screeched to a halt though when the first strains of violins caused all eyes to turn to the back of the church. The music filled the air and, while not jubilant, to Tony, it filled his soul with the solemnity and promise of the moment.

When Pepper stepped into the church and slowly walked down the aisle, Tony couldn’t take his eyes off her. Pepper looked nervous and Tony tried to smile reassuringly, though he felt his eyes tearing up, so he wasn’t sure how effective that was. Tony took Pepper’s hand when she got close enough and gave it an encouraging squeeze and blinked back his own tears.

Doctor Strange straightened his spine and looked between Tony and Pepper, looking them in the eye until the corner of his mouth turned up. Looking at the friends and family gathered, he began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved… and departed… we are gathered here today to unite this woman and this corpse.” He gestured to Pepper, “You first.”

“With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine.” Pepper picked up the cup and held it between them and couldn’t help but smile. She couldn’t remember being so happy and sure of herself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Now your part,” Doctor Strange said softly to Tony.

Tony saw the light in Pepper’s eyes and the way the rosy apples of her cheeks rounded so pleasingly when she smiled. Tony smiled in response, “With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty for I will be your w – ” He stopped short, noticing James watching them from his place next to the pillar.

James’s mouth hung open in surprised distress, apparently not having anticipated being spotted.

A sudden wave of indecision overtook him. “I will be…”

Pepper nodded and raised her eyebrows expectantly.

“Your cup,” Tony tried again, “will never empty. For I will be…”

“Your wine.” Pepper finished for him and began raising the cup to her lips.

As fast as he could, Tony covered the top of the cup with his hand. The look of distress on Pepper’s face stabbed at his heart, but he couldn’t do it. How could he take the life of someone he cared about? He shook his head. “I can’t,” he whispered, eyes prickling with tears. “I’m sorry Pepper.”

“What’s wrong?” Pepper asked, those baby blues that Tony found so enticing filled with confusion and hurt.

Pepper tried to turn her head to see where Tony was looking. Tony cupped her cheek gently, “This is wrong… I was a groom. My dreams were taken from me. But now – now I’ve stolen them from someone else.” Tears started to slowly slide down his cheeks. “I love you Pep – more than anything, but you’re not mine.”

Tony’s mouth filled with the taste of ashes and his heart ached as he gestured toward James. He _did_ love Pepper, stars help him, he did. Pepper didn’t deserve to die for him, though.

Pepper turned to see him then, “James?”

James stepped closer and Pepper nodded and offered him her hand. Tony could see the moment when hope blossomed across her face and saw in James’s a reciprocated fondness. He placed her hand in James’s and stepped back, the living couple standing at the altar, James still in his own wedding clothes.

A snide voice from the back of the church suspended the wave of grief that felt like it would wash Tony away. “Oh, how touching. I always cry at weddings. Finally, our two young lovers are together at last. Surely now they can live happily ever after. But you forget...” A woman who would have been beautiful without the contemptuous sneer that marred her features sauntered forward. “He’s still my husband! And I’m not leaving here empty-handed!”

Now that the woman was closer, though… a flood of recognition and righteous anger filled Tony’s vision. _Lady Sunset Bain._ “You!”

“Tony?” For a moment, Lady Bain was speechless with shock. “But, but I left you.”

“For dead!” Tony growled, his expression murderous.

The gathered friends and family gasped, horrified. They rose to their feet when her Ladyship grabbed James away from where Tony and Pepper stood.

“This man is obviously delusional!” her Ladyship exclaimed, then drew a dagger from her sleeve, held it to James’s throat and pulled him along in front of her. “Sorry to cut things short, but we must be on our way.”

Pepper stepped forward, as if to stop her. Tony found this determination seductive and mourned losing her even more keenly. Resolve echoed in every word when Pepper said, “Take your hands off him.”

Clearly Sunset hadn’t anticipated Pepper being willing to defend James. She paused long enough that James was able to grab her arm and wrench the dagger out of her hand. Her Ladyship roared and dove at Pepper, fingernails bared like claws.

Tony pulled Pepper aside and bore the brunt of the attack to little effect.

Sunset scowled and stepped back as if she couldn’t care less that she’d been bested, “Touché, my dear.”

Tony touched his cheek, assessing the damage for a second, then pointed to the door, “Get out.”

Pulling her lips back in a derisive snarl, “Oh, I’m leaving.” She laughed and picked up the goblet of poisoned wine from the altar, “But first! A toast, to Tony. Still alone, hm? Tell me my dear, can a heart still break once it’s stopped beating? Hmm?”

Clint was holding Rhodey back to keep him from attacking Sunset, “Let me go Barton! Don’t hold me back!”

Doctor Strange held his hands up, “Wait! We are amongst the living. We must abide by their rules!”

An angry mutter rippled through the assembled crowd, but Sunset laughed, “Well said.” She tipped the cup back and took a long drink, then sauntered to the door. Reaching the door, she doubled over, coughing and clutching her stomach.

Tony had never seen his honeybear glare so menacingly before. “Not anymore!” Rhodey said, satisfaction hanging on each word.

Strange nodded, “Yes, you’re right. He’s all yours.”

The crowd surged forward, carrying most of the deceased people in the crowd – now including the late Lady Barnes – back to the underworld.

When they’d gone, Doctor Strange began cleaning up, putting the cork in the wine bottle.

James hugged Pepper, “I thought I’d never see you again.” He smiled happily and Pepper seemed just as pleased.

Tony took this as his cue to leave and tried to slip away while they were lost in their joy.

“Wait! I made a promise,” Pepper said, following him.

Shrugging with a feigned nonchalance, Tony replied, “You kept that promise. You set me free. Here.” He took off the ring again and gave it back to Pepper, placing it in the palm of her hand. “Now I can do the same for you.” _It’s better this way. You couldn’t have kept her happy the way he can._

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Pardon me…” James’s deep voice interrupted and Strange, Tony, and Pepper looked up. He turned to the tall deceased gentleman who’d been officiating the ceremony. “I really don’t understand how these things work… I tried to get some answers last night, but didn’t get anywhere. From what I saw, though, is this a problem with the vows themselves?”

“Doctor Strange, sir,” he said and inclined his head, “and yes, you’re quite right. They say their vows and then I ask them if they promise to honor and love each other as long as they both shall live – it’s what gives the vows their power.”

“Lord James Barnes.” James said and shook Strange’s hand. “Why can’t we change the vows themselves?”

“Change the vows?” Strange echoed.

“Yes. It… seems that the three of us were brought together for a reason and it would be unwise to tamper with the threads of fate,” he said, hoping he sounded sensible.

“That’s… very unusual. Highly irregular,” Strange said, frowning.

James’s hopes rose and he said, “But not impossible.”

Doctor Strange waved his hand, “Oh, no – nothing’s impossible. What did you have in mind?”

James studied them both. Pepper and her almost-husband, Tony, stood motionless, rooted to the spot. He smiled and whispered his idea in Doctor Strange’s ear.

Strange considered, then nodded, “That would work, yes. If you’re sure this is what you want.”

Smiling, he said, “When I met Pepper yesterday, I thought I’d found my soulmate. And… that she was willing to cross the boundary between life and death for Tony... I’m sure we should stay together if we can.” He toward Pepper and Tony, his smile falterring, “Assuming they’ll have me. I… don’t have much to offer.”

“What?” Pepper asked, stunned.

“Both of us?” Tony mirrored Pepper’s shock.

Swallowing his certainty that he was going to lose them both now, he repeated himself, “Yes – as long as you’ll have me.”

The two exchanged glances, then looked back at James. Pepper stepped forward, then smiled at James and offered her hand. “I’m not sure how that would work, exactly.” She smiled and sounded hopeful, though.

“I don’t know either, but we all expected to be married to at least one other person here… and I think we should,” James said simply, allowing himself to feel a thread of hope.

Tony searched his face, “I don’t get it – why include me?”

James took his hand, “Because you didn’t let her drink the wine – and you stood up for her. That’s enough for me.”

“You’re too easy to please…” Tony grumbled, but winked when he made eye contact.

Doctor Strange clapped his hands together loudly. “Well! We have witnesses and all parties of the union. Shall we? Lord Barnes, would you like to begin?”

James stood between Pepper and Tony, “With these hands, I will lift your sorrows. Your cups will never empty for I will be your wine.” He let their hands go to light his candle. “With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With these rings, I ask you to be mine.”

His face fell, he was two rings short. He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, take care of Tony, okay?” A blonde guy who was definitely from Tony’s side pressed two rings into James’s palm.

“Thanks, I will.” He took the rings and slid one onto Pepper’s finger and one onto Tony’s. He didn’t know and didn’t care where the rings had been before, as long as they were here now.

They joined hands for most of the ceremony and Tony gave her him ring when he said his vows. Pepper said her vows more slowly, ending with, “Let these rings be a sign of our vows.”

Strange nodded approvingly, “Do you James, take Virginia – Pepper – and Anthony to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, until time ceases and the last star in the sky darkens?”

“I do.”

“And do you Virginia take James and Anthony to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, until time ceases and the last star in the sky darkens?”

“I do.”

“Anthony – ” Strange started.

“I do.” Tony said quickly.

Strange raised an eyebrow.

Tony made an impatient noise, “Until time ceases and the last star darkens.”

For a moment, it seemed as though Tony was going to say something else, but Strange interrupted, giving a quick nod, satisfied, “Then it is my honor to pronounce you husbands and wife. You may kiss each other.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

James stood atop a ladder in Winterbrook’s front hall, hanging a large portrait of the three of them. “What about here?”

Pepper and Steve shook their heads. “Too high on the right side,” Steve said.

Tony walked by, “Hey, how about you let the guy who’s already dead stand on the ladder, kitten?”

Blushing scarlet, James tried to protest, “It’s just one picture.”

“Just a picture?” Steve sounded offended, but winked at Tony. The new medicine he’d started taking a few months ago was really starting to make a difference with his energy levels and his sense of humor was returning as well.

“Fine! Fine! If you’re both going to gang up on me, I give up,” James grumbled, but climbed down, off the ladder. “Steve did such a beautiful job on our portrait, I want to make sure everyone sees it during our anniversary ball this weekend.”

Steve beamed, “It’s easy when the subjects are beautiful themselves.”

Climbing the ladder to finish adjusting the painting, Tony scoffed, “At least two of us.” While not rosy-cheeked and breathing, he’d lost some of his pallor. When they’d asked Doctor Strange, he’d said that their love would continue to preserve Bucky until they’d all crossed the veil of death.

Bucky wrapped his arms around Pepper and rubbed her expanding waistline. “I love you.” He kissed the top of her shoulder.

“More sentimental nonsense, Yasha?” Natasha asked as she watched Tony tilt the painting just a little to the right and then pull it ever so slightly closer to him. Without waiting for an answer from James, Natasha nodded to Tony. “Very good. I think that’s it.”

Pepper whispered to James, “I don’t mind it when you’re sentimental – and the baby likes it when you do that.”

“Yeah?” James smiled and gave Pepper a quick squeeze.

Natasha rolled her eyes and tucked her hand into Steve’s hand. “Are _you_ satisfied?”

Steve nodded, “Yep, I think that’s what it needed. Thanks Tony!”

“Then I think we should be on our way, Steve,” Natasha said gently. “We have tickets for the ballet tonight,” she explained to James, Tony, and Pepper.

Tony climbed down the ladder again, “If we’re done with all the physical labor, I’ll put this away. Have a good time at the ballet, you two.”

Blushing, Steve ducked his head and then smiled up at Natasha, “I think we’ll manage.”

James guided Pepper into the sitting room where they’d had their unfortunate wedding rehearsal. In the last year the three of them had redecorated a bit and the room didn’t feel as cold and drab as it had back then.

When Tony returned from putting away the ladder, James retrieved the anniversary presents he’d gotten for his spouses. “I thought maybe we could exchange gifts now instead of at the party this weekend.”

“Ooh! Presents!” Tony exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll be right back – I’ve got something for both of you too.” He dashed away before Pepper or James could say anything else and darted back just as quickly.

Pepper sighed in appreciation, “I hate it when he leaves, but I love to watch him go. He may be the genius, but I’m so grateful you for thinking of this solution.”

James snorted, “My motivations were purely selfish. I get to spend my life with two people I adore – thanks to you.” He looked at the doorway where Tony had left just moments before and nodded, “And I have no complaints about how the tailor flatters him.”

Pepper was still giggling when Tony returned. “We were just talking about you,” she said in response to Tony’s raised eyebrows. “Only good things, I promise.”

“I want to hear them too,” he complained.

“We were commending the tailor on the fit of your trousers,” Bucky said with a smirk and a blush.

“Oh. _Oh._ Well.” Tony cleared his throat and looked pleased by the compliment, if a little bit flustered. “Well, gifts before booty,” he said grinning.

James produced a small, rectangular package and handed it to Pepper, while Tony handed her a polished, wooden cube-shaped box. “Go ahead – you open yours first, dearest.”

Pepper unwrapped James’s gift to reveal a deep blue jewelry box. Upon opening the box, she found a hair comb with three stars in rhinestones at the top. “Oh! Three stars – one for each of us.” She hugged him. “It’s beautiful. Thank you!”

She handed James the comb to put in her hair while she opened Tony’s gift. He looked over her shoulder as she opened the box. Inside was a delicate wire bird cage with three tiny birds inside, one red, one yellow, and one blue.

“Turn the key,” Tony said, practically humming with excitement.

After she turned the key, the birds began to chirp and trill and flutter their wings. They looked almost lifelike. Bucky smiled against Pepper’s neck when she gasped in delight. “Tony – it’s… I don’t know what to say! You made this?”

“Yup, it’s one-of-a-kind – like you.” Tony smiled and rocked on the balls of his feet. “You like it?”

“I do! Yes! It’s amazing!” She got up to hug him. “Let me give you your present.” Pepper stepped over to her work basket and handed Tony and James each a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. “They took longer than I thought and I ran out of time for fancier wrapping. You should open them together.”

James and Tony exchanged glances and untied the string and pulled away the paper on their respective parcels to reveal a pair of hand-embroidered slippers for each of them. Tony’s were black velvet embroidered with sprigs of bold golden yarrow and ferns framing a red camelia and it’s showy yellow center on the slipper’s toe with garlands of ivy, pansies and red salvia stems stretching around to the heel.

“Let’s see if I get this right,” Tony said, his face soft with emotion, “I’m a flame in your heart, in your thoughts and forever yours, through magical bonds of love and marriage. An everlasting love.” He wiped his eyes, leaned over and kissed Pepper. “I love them. They’re my new favorite thing.”

James’s slippers on the other hand were on a dark blue background with a red chrysanthemum on the toe surrounded by jasmine and a similar pattern of ferns, pansies, and ivy, with sprigs of spearmint flowers in place of the red salvia on Tony’s slippers.

He slipped one on, testing it for fit and nodded, “They’re wonderful, Pepper. I’m not as good at deciphering. Flirting with flowers was never really my forte – probably why I was a bachelor so long.” He chuckled at his own joke and looked at his other slipper. “Let’s see… red chrysanthemum is ‘I love you’… and I’m enveloped by thoughts of warmth of sentiment and the magical bonds of sweet love and marriage.”

Pepper sat down next to James again. “Very good. You’re not so bad as you make it sound.”

Grinning, James said, “I noticed some of the things were the same, so I guessed.”

“Oh!” She slapped his shoulder playfully, “See if I ever make you another pair of slippers. It’ll just be monogrammed handkerchiefs for the rest of your days.”

Tony snickered and Pepper beamed.

James handed Tony a long, rectangular box. “If you’re finished mocking me, you may open this,” he said with a smile, not taking any offense to his partners’ teasing.

Tony unwrapped the package only to uncover a wooden case with a clasp at either end. “What’s this?”

“Open it and find out,” James replied.

“Cheeky! Pure cheek!” Tony made a face at James, but unfastened the clasps and opened the box, revealing a brass telescope and tripod stand, the sight of which left him speechless. “This is – this is like the one we saw when we visited your friend Coulson.”

James nodded, “You said how much you liked it and I wrote and asked him where he’d gotten it.”

Tony took the few steps needed to cross the floor and sat in James’s lap. “Thank you. I love you. Not just because you shower me with presents… I just love you.”

James kissed Tony on the cheek and inhaled Tony’s soft scent – something like fallen leaves, fresh earth, and a spring rain. “I know. I love you too – do you have any idea how difficult it is keeping a secret from you?”

“As hard as it was to keep this from you?” Tony offered another wooden box, similar to the one he’d given Pepper.

Tony fidgeted while James opened the box. “I don’t know if you’ll like it or not. If you hate it, I’ll try to think of something else…”

Carefully, James lifted out a metal egg. When he lifted the top off, a tiny orange enameled fish darted into a tuft of very fine metal kelp that swayed gently with the motion. A red enameled starfish clung to the ‘sea floor.’

“I don’t hate it – it’s gorgeous.” James kissed Tony again on the cheek. “It’ll have pride of place on my desk in the study.” He smiled at both of his partners, “How did I get so lucky as to have such a talented husband and wife?”

When Pepper and Tony both leaned in to kiss James on the cheek, he felt they were the happiest people on earth. _Until time ceases and the last star darkens._

**Author's Note:**

> This is a remix "Mirror" world of _Because I could not stop for Death..._ (the previous story in this series). I couldn't decide at first who should be the corpse bride, Bucky or Tony, so I decided to do one of each! :D
> 
> The title is from the poem, ["I Have a Rendezvous with Death,"](https://poets.org/poem/i-have-rendezvous-death) by Alan Seeger.


End file.
